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Valuable statues and cultural objects have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, officials say.

The theft was found on the start of the week, when employees reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the interior.

The six taken statues were marble creations and originated to the ancient Roman times, an authority informed the Associated Press.

Cultural heritage officials said it had launched a probe to establish the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a number of artifacts", and that actions had been enacted to improve security and observation methods.

The director of national security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as stating that law enforcement were examining the robbery, which he said had focused on several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles".

He added that guards at the institution and other individuals were being interviewed.

The Damascus Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, contains the most important cultural treasures in Syria.

It contains clay cuneiform tablets originating to the Bronze Age from historical site, where indications of the earliest complete alphabet was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, a significant historical locations of the ancient world; and a ancient synagogue that was established at Dura Europos.

The museum was had to cease operations in 2012, twelve months after the outbreak of the devastating civil war. A large portion of the holdings was transferred and kept at secret locations to ensure their safety.

It reopened partially in 2018 and resumed full operations in January 2025, a month after insurgents removed Syria's former leader.

Every one of nationally recognized sites were harmed or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.

The militant faction blew up multiple temples and historical sites at Palmyra, claiming that they were un-Islamic. International authorities condemned the demolition as a atrocity.

Many historical objects were also damaged or stolen from archaeological sites and collections.